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Databases and E-books

A listing of online databases and information about how to use our e-book collection

Cite your sources!

Citation Methods

One commonly used set of guidelines for citing references in a research paper is the Modern Language Association (MLA) documentation system. Citing sources not only gives your paper credibility, it also helps you avoid unintentional plagiarism by providing you with a system to identify the source of writings and ideas that you found while doing your research.


The MLA system consists of a citation in the text of your paper, typically noting the author and the page number of your source, and a Works Cited page that provides complete publication information.

For more information, try Purdue's Online Writing Guide for MLA Style.

APA Style is a set of guidelines developed by the American Psychological Association for citing resources in the social sciences.

The APA system consists of a citation within your paper, noting the author and the year (usually the copyright year) of your source (page numbers are also included for direct quotations) and a References page with complete publication information.

For more information, try Purdue's Online Writing Lab for APA Style or APA's Frequently Asked Questions.

Tips and Tricks for Citing Souces.

All of the databases available at the Allen Library offer easy copy and paste citations. Once you have selected a source just look for the cite link, often found in the tool box or at the bottom of the page. Here you will find various citation methods that you can copy and paste onto your bibliography or works cited page.

Finding Citations on Databases

  • American History in Video: Look for the Cite button on the left hand side below the video screen.
  • Credo Reference: Citations are listed at the end of each article or image. Use tabs to selection citation method.
  • EBSCOhost and E-Books: Find the list of tools on the right side of the screen. Here you will find options to Cite, Print, and e-mail.
  • Films on Demand: Look for the citation link below each video. Don't forget to check and see what citation method your instructor requires and to use the tabs to select the correct one.
  • Gale Opposing Viewpoints: Citation Tools can be found to left of your article.
  • Statista: Look for the citation drop down box on the left side of the screen.

Citation Builders